


Moments Make Great Love

by asphodelknox



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Journal Entries, M/M, Pining Harry, Pining Louis, Romantic Letters, Scrabble, Teacher Louis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-16 18:01:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11258046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asphodelknox/pseuds/asphodelknox
Summary: “Well, I’m the luckiest man in the world to have you. I didn’t realize how much I took for granted a clean kitchen every day when I get home.” Harry said fondly.“You know, I’m actually glad I started doing that… Lacey! If I hear you incorrectly recite Helena’s lines one more time, I’ll have you hand write them sixteen times…” Louis sighed. “Why did I decide to teach high schoolers?”“Because you love children, you get to instill an appreciation for theatre and old English literature in young people, and I think you’re super sexy when you’re surrounded by kids.” Harry said promptly.Louis was silent for a moment. “My heart is for your eyes only, Harry Styles.” The teasing from a moment ago was gone and replaced with tender honesty. It took Harry’s breath away for the millionth time that Louis could go from joking to serious in a heartbeat.“I’d give up everything for you.” Harry said in reply, the same earnest honesty in his voice.A series of interconnected ficlets inspired by One Direction songs about Larry. Louis finds himself, Harry finds love, and they find other people’s secrets pale in comparison their own. So much fluff and so much domestic Larry.





	Moments Make Great Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [iiva](https://archiveofourown.org/users/iiva/gifts).



> Prompt: 731. The envy of other people's secrets
> 
> I drew heavy inspiration from certain 1D songs regarding Larry. These songs and all their rights belong to their original writers and composers and I don’t take any credit for them. I’m just the lucky girl who got to weave them together into a story about our favorite pairing.
> 
> Many, many, many, many thanks to [India](https://indiaalphawhiskey.tumblr.com/) for reading this through. 
> 
> And a very happy birthday to [Vivi](http://hlficpraise.tumblr.com/)! I know how much you love song references. I hope this story makes you do happy dances for days.
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** This is a work of fiction with mature and/or explicit content that is not suitable for readers under the age of 18. I absolutely do not condone minors reading this work of fiction and encourage anyone underage to stop reading immediately. Thank you.

June 2012 

_\-- H -- Little Things --_

Hi, again journal. I’m starting to get why mum gave me this. It’s been kind of nice to write things down. Graduating is so weird… Louis said so when he graduated two years ago but mostly I just thought he felt weird about leaving me behind. Not that I feel left behind. I think he felt like he was leaving me behind. He wasn’t. Anyways...

He’s right about graduation though. It is a little weird. It’s like the whole future is ahead of me and all of a sudden I have a million options. I’m trying not to be too freaked out by it. I know I’m going to study law so at least that’s one thing off my chest. Something in my future is clear, at least.

Louis’s back in town for my graduation. It’s like he never left. He still can’t go to bed without a cup of tea. I have no idea how his roommate can stand him...that tea is the reason he talks in his sleep. At least we’ll be rooming together next year. I don’t mind his sleep talking. They’re like conversations, even if they make no sense to me.

Sometimes on the weekends he’s back, I think maybe I’m in love with him. It’s not something I could ever tell him… we haven’t talked about his sexuality and I don’t think he’ll bring it up. I do think he’s into guys, even if he won’t tell me. He just normally takes some time to figure things out. Although I wish I knew for sure. He doesn’t normally keep things from me. I’m almost jealous he even has a secret from me. I normally know them all!

But I don’t think he’d react well to his best friend telling him he’s in love with him. Besides if we’re living together next year, I should get over it. It’s probably weird to be in love with your roommate.

But next year I’ll get to actually _live_ with him and I can’t help but be overly excited. I’ll get to see the crinkles by his eyes when he smiles every single day and watch him squeeze into his jeans every morning. He’s so self-deprecating sometimes...it's driving me insane. He’s too good. He’s too perfect. And I know I’m his best friend and I’m automatically biased but that also means I know him best so really, I think my opinion is more important here.

Besides, all those little things, the things I miss about him when he’s gone, the way he talks, the way he lights up when he’s telling me about whatever play he’s in, the way he laughs whenever I tell a stupid pun, the way he loves my fry-ups. All those things add up to Lou. Add up to how much I think I love him.

I take it back, journal. All you’ve helped me do is fall more in love with him. Thanks for nothing.

 

 

_\-- L -- Strong --_

“Tell me a secret.”

Louis turned to look at Harry. Harry had a curious grin on his face and was looking at Louis intently. His stomach flip-flopped. They had asked each other for secrets since they had first met in drama class, back and forth, serious and not so serious. This was normal. The flip-flop in his stomach made no sense.

At least he tried to tell himself that.

They called it the Secret Game and in their many rounds of playing, they had shared hundreds of secrets. Louis had told Harry about his first kiss (Hannah...it was short and unsatisfying). Harry had told Louis about his strained relationship with his dad (grunts were their main form of communication). Louis had told Harry (in vivid detail) about the first time he had a chopstick stuck up his nose. Harry shared his first experience skinny-dipping at camp (luckily no one stole his clothes).

Frankly, they were jealous of each other’s secrets. They liked knowing what was going on in each other’s heads. Louis often thought he couldn’t get enough of Harry’s thoughts.

The Secret Game was how Harry had come out to Louis. It had been a night like this, two years ago almost to the day. Louis had been about to graduate, and he asked Harry to tell him a secret, something, anything, both for old times sake and for another excuse to tie him to his best friend. Louis hadn't ever thought he could be more proud of him.

Now, two years later, laying on their backs on a blanket in Harry’s backyard, ankles wound together, staring up the stars, a thermos of hot chocolate waiting for them to get cold, Louis was considering doing the same.

He had wanted to come out to Harry the minute he had figured it out for himself. Louis had originally thought he was bi but when Liam had set him up with a girl at a party around Easter, all Louis could think about was how much he’d rather be with a boy than a girl. He had called Harry on his way back to his dorm that night, but instead of telling him, Louis had just talked, joking around and laughing with Harry to avoid the subject.

That was two months ago. “What do you want to know?” Louis’s voice cracked and he swallowed hard. His throat felt like a desert, like he hadn’t had water in days.

Harry’s grin softened and Louis marveled for a minute at how Harry’s features could go from sharp and playful to soft and kind in one heartbeat. “Whatever you want to tell me, Lou.”

Louis swallowed again. He paused, his heart pounding in his chest and shut his eyes tight. It was just Harry. His best friend. His best friend who made him stronger. Who made him better.

“I’m...gay, Haz.”

The statement hung in the air. The sweat on his palms and his quickly beating heart betrayed his nervousness.

He grunted as all of a sudden he was covered and surrounded by Harry. He opened his eyes, to see a grinning Harry lying fully on top of him, his forearms on either side of Louis’s head. Louis grinned hesitantly, his hands naturally coming to rest of Harry’s hips, and felt his heart pick up the pace again. He told himself it was from being surprised, not from having Harry lying on top of him.  

“I knew it.” Harry giggled and kissed Louis on the cheek before rolling off him.

Louis giggled too. “You did?” His heart hadn’t slowed down yet, but his relief was making him tremble. He sat up, taking a deep breath in, letting it fill his chest before blowing it back out, and turned to look at Harry over his shoulder.

Harry propped his head up on his arm. “Of course. I’m your best friend.” He chuckled. “I know you better than you know yourself.”

Louis outright laughed at that. “That’s probably true. At least it goes both ways.”

“Definitely.” Harry hummed.

“I wanted to tell you a few months ago,” Louis said, sighing, feeling Harry sit up, knocking their knees together as he did. “I don’t care, I’m not scared, I just…” He let out a sharp breath. He felt like he was asking Harry to hold his heart in his bare hands and it scared Louis shitless. Was it so wrong to that Harry made him better? Stronger? “I need you, Haz.”

Harry hummed again. “I’m not going anywhere, Lou.”

Louis believed him.

 

June 2014

_\-- H -- Happily --_

“Harry!” Niall shouted as he entered Harry and Louis’s apartment, his hands full of bags of chips, followed closely by Zayn and Liam.

“Niall!” Harry shouted back, laughing as the three boys pulled him in for a hug.

The apartment was full to the brim with Harry and Louis’s university friends, all there to wish Louis farewell and good luck on his new job as a drama teacher at the local high school. He was finally graduating uni and Harry felt like it was only yesterday that his best friend had started.

The living room was packed with people. Louis’s drama team and football buddies, Harry’s pre-law friends, their friends from the campus coffee shop where Harry and Louis both worked. Harry had strung up streamers all across their ceiling (“We’re going to get a fine for that, Harry.” “Don’t worry about it, Lou, I’ll cover it.”) and a huge cake was waiting in the kitchen for just the right moment.

“Where’s our graduate and soon-to-be kid wrangler?” Liam asked, extracting himself from the hug and looking around. He waved to a friend of his from crew and raised his eyebrows appreciatively at Harry’s streamer design.

“Oh please don’t say it like that,” Louis said, coming from down the hallway, a teasing grin on his face, his arms open wide. “You sound like my father.”

Zayn snorted as Louis pulled all four of them in for a hug. “You wouldn’t have survived our first year without him, mate. He’s practically your second dad.”

“I resent that. I would have been just fine, thank you very much! Just because a lad blacks out _one time_ …” The five men unraveled, Zayn and Liam fondly rolling their eyes and making their way into the living room hand in hand. Harry’s eyes followed them. He envied the ease that Liam and Zayn’s relationship had started. It had seemed too simple but they were more in love than ever. Sometimes he wished he and Louis could start that simply too.

He just wished they could start something at all.

“Let’s be real. It wasn’t till Harry and I got here that you really grew up, Lou.” Niall said, dumping the bags of chips into Louis’s hands before weaving his way through the guests towards the kitchen for a beer, his brown head bobbing in between guests.

“Why did he hand me these?” Louis said, looking indignant, his blue eyes flashing. Harry couldn’t help but laugh. Twenty-three years and Louis still looked a bit like a lost puppy when presented with raw ingredients. Especially at his own party (“It’s _my_ party! I’m not supposed to do manual labor!”).

“Here, I’ll take em. We just need to put them in bowls.” Harry started towards the kitchen, and Louis followed close behind. They opened the bags and dumped them in into a few plastic bowls. Harry grabbed two and was about to head into the living room when a hand on his hip stopped him (and his heart) for a moment.

“Don’t tell them,” Louis started, and Harry knew “them” meant, Niall, Liam, and Zayn, “but they’re right. I did way better once you got here. Don’t know what I’m going to do without you now.” He ran a hand through his hair. It was longer now and Harry had to stop himself on the daily from reaching out and running his fingers through it.

Harry’s heart started beating again and he couldn’t help the warm feeling coursing through him. Louis had told him this over and over. How Louis hadn’t liked his first roommate. How his second one complained about his tea habit. How he loved that Harry never minded cooking for them both. How Louis would be lost without Harry.

Harry scoffed. “Lou, we’re moving into an off-campus apartment with Niall, Zayn, and Liam. You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

Louis grinned. “Good.” His face was soft. “I need you, Haz.”

Harry smiled softly back at him. “I’m not going anywhere, Lou.”

Louis squeezed Harry’s hip before grabbing the other two bowls and leading the way into the living room.

Harry hadn’t told Louis about being in love with him. He had tried to get over it, but if anything, living with Louis only made it worse. Halfway through his first year, he figured he was a goner. He hadn’t dated anyone and frankly, he didn’t mind. He was content to just have Louis around, even if only as a friend.

But that was changing. Louis was leaving university now and Harry suddenly felt pressured by time to make his feelings known. The thought of telling Louis how he felt made him weak in the knees. The thought of being rejected almost killed him, but the thought of his feelings being reciprocated made him think maybe he didn’t care about the possibility of death.

He just wanted to be with Louis forever. He knew they could be together so happily. After enough nights of holding Louis in his sleep when he came out to his family and the rest of their friends to mixed responses (and one particularly bad instance that had Louis in a negative funk for three days and had him sleeping in Harry’s bed and crying himself to sleep), Harry had no doubt that there was nowhere else he wanted to be.

And he had lived with that knowledge for a year and a half without doing anything about it. Now it seemed like it was time to actually do something.

 

_\-- H -- Something Great --_

It’s not crazy, right? I mean this whole journal is littered with the millions of ways I want Louis. The millions of ways I love him. Is it too much to ask for something great? Something amazing? That has to be worth it.

Right?

 

 _\-- L -- Ready to Run --_  

"Bye, Niall,” Louis said, slowly shutting the door on a very drunk Niall, who was leaning on the door frame, refusing to leave, muttering about Ellie with a furrowed brow. “Go home, Niall,” Louis said gently, for what felt like the tenth time, and cast grateful eyes to Zayn who wrapped an arm around Niall’s shoulders and escorted him out the building to Liam’s waiting car.

Louis shut the door, shook his head and gave himself a minute to breathe. This was it.

He had known he loved Harry for a long time. He couldn’t really put a timestamp on it, but to be honest, he didn’t really care. He had had a hunch for a few months now that, just maybe, Harry had feelings for him too. It felt like a secret he’d been carrying around for months and Louis wanted to know what was going on in Harry’s head every time they looked at each other. And it made Louis all the more eager to tell him.

He just hoped he wasn’t reading the signs wrong.

He walked back into the living room, and stood in the entry for a moment, silently watching Harry gather garbage into piles. He smiled softly.

“Hey, Haz?” Now or never. Harry looked up, his hands stilling their busy work. “Can we sit down for a minute?”

A curious look passed over Harry’s face but was replaced by neutral nonchalance. “Of course, Lou.” He sat on the couch legs crossed, facing Louis who sat next to him. Louis played with his own fingers.

“Harry,” Louis started, then cleared his throat because his voice sounded too loud. Too loud, loud, loud.

Harry reached out a hand to rest lightly on Louis’s knee. “You ok?”

Louis nodded. “I just... I need…” He sighed, feeling like he’d been here before.

He paused. He had been here before. He’d felt the same way before he’d told Harry he was gay. Harry hadn’t abandoned him then. He just had to get it out.

“Harry,” Louis said again, this time his voice soft and tentative. “I…” He looked up at Harry, gazed into those green eyes that had never held anything but fondness for him. “I’m in love with you.”

The statement hung there and Harry just looked at him, eyes wide. Louis looked down at his hands, not sure he could keep eye contact with what all else he had to say.

“I’m in love with you,” Louis said again, this time getting to marvel at how the words sounded on his lips. “I’ve been thinking about the future a lot lately and every time I think about it clearly, all I can think about, all I can see, is you. All I want is you.” He took in a deep breath. He wasn’t crying yet… that was a good sign.

“And I know it’s out of nowhere, and I know that it might be surprising, but all I want…” Louis looked back up to Harry. Blue eyes met green and Louis knew that he would be alright. There were tears in Harry’s eyes and a small grin threatening to break wide. “I want to be yours. I want you to be mine.”

Harry let out a sharp breath. “ _Lou_ .” He slid their fingers together and Louis felt his heart calm. Harry was holding his hands. Harry wasn’t running away. “ _Louis_.” Somehow, the way Harry said his name had never felt so weighted.

“Louis, I want to be yours too. I’ve been in love with you since I was eighteen.”

Louis felt his chest split open, months of pent up emotion soaring out as tears pooled in his eyes. He laughed and gripped Harry’s hands tighter. “Good. That’s really good.”

“Yeah.” Harry’s eyes trailed across Louis’s face as if he’d never seen Louis before. As if he never wanted to stop looking at him. Louis didn’t miss Harry’s glance at his lips. He leaned forward, pulling Harry’s hands towards him just a little. Harry didn’t miss a beat leaning forward and touching Louis’s nose with his own. “I really, really want to be yours, Lou. All yours.” He whispered and closed the distance between them.

Louis had spent a fair bit of time daydreaming about the feeling of Harry’s lips on his but all the daydreaming in the world couldn’t prepare him for the actual thing. He felt warm soft lips gently exploring his own. He pulled one of his hands to run through Harry’s hair. He felt the heat emanating from Harry’s face, could hear the sweet gasps and gentle hums coming from his best friend who all of a sudden had become so much more.

He didn’t want to be anywhere else.

 

 

February 2017

 _\-- H -- Two Ghosts --_  

A new journal. Can’t believe it took me five years to get through the last. Considering how much happened at university, considering Louis and I have been together for three years. You’d think I’d have needed a new journal in that time.

Louis got me this one for my birthday. We were both distracted this year, he’s directing a play outside of his teaching duties and I’m in the thick of law school but he still managed to make it sweet. Took me to dinner, flowers, a movie at home, the works. It was lovely.

And yet, it felt odd. We haven’t had much time to ourselves lately. We haven’t been able to talk like we normally do. It’s like we’re tongue-tied more than ever, and we keep repeating the same things we’ve already told each other. I can tell he sometimes isn’t telling me what he really means.

I’m studying so much I think I’ve permanently left my brain at the library and Louis is just so busy. He really shouldn’t have taken on the play outside of work but it was Grease and they needed a director and he’s never been able to say no to Grease.

Not to mention that Lottie lost Jack in a really awful work accident and it has both of us on edge. Louis is worried for Lottie and I’m worried for Louis and the Tomlinsons are all so broken right now. I wasn’t close to Jack but Lottie wanted to marry him. It’s so unfair.

It’s made me worry that even though Louis isn’t dead, maybe I’m losing him too in a different way. Or something. I feel like I shouldn’t be thinking about my own relationship when my boyfriend’s favorite sister lost her’s.

I can’t help it.

I don’t really know what to do. I don’t _want_ to say I feel like I’m losing him but sometimes I feel like we look at each other and hardly see one another. It’s like we don’t see what we used to see when we talk or hug or sit next to each other.

I see him every day, but I miss him like I don’t.

 

_\-- L -- Love You Goodbye --_

My Dearest Harry,  

I know I haven’t written you many letters in the course of our relationship but this time, it felt right. At least is was the best way to tell you what’s on my mind.

Lottie losing Jack really made me think about some things. I know I’ve seemed distant lately and I haven’t been around or as present as I could be. The fight we had a few nights ago definitely didn’t help anything. I didn’t mean what I said about needing space.

What I actually need, what I’ve always needed, is you. I know I’ve said it a lot throughout our relationship and before, but I still do and always will need you. You’re the best and most important part of my life.

But I think what I didn’t understand until yesterday at Jack’s memorial was that you need me too. I don’t know how I missed it (I know I’m slow on the uptake sometimes), but I want to say I’m sorry.

I’m sorry I haven’t been there while you’ve been neck deep in studies. I’m sorry I haven’t helped around the apartment more and left you to still do all the cleaning and cooking. I’m sorry I took on a huge, unnecessary project when I knew I shouldn’t.

The other night, during our fight, you said you felt alone and it felt like my heart got torn in two. Haz, I don’t want you to feel alone. I’m still here. I’m not going anywhere. I want you to be mine still. I want you to be mine tomorrow and the next day and the next day until we die.

We’re unforgettable together Haz. We have the whole world in our hands. I could never give you up and I intend, from today till the end of my life, to make sure you know.

I love you, Harry Edward Styles. You’re everything to me.

Love,

Louis

 

_\-- L -- Home --_

The door to the flat swung shut behind him and Louis blinked, willing his eyes to dry. Lottie kept saying she was doing better, that she was moving on, that she missed Jack but needed to live her life. It still broke Louis’s heart to see her so melancholy.

He slung his jacket off and hung it on the hooks by the door, kicked off his shoes, and padded down the hall. Harry wouldn’t be home for another hour so Louis took advantage of the time and started cleaning the kitchen, giving himself time to think.

Ever since Harry had received his letter, things had been better between them. Louis had done it properly and mailed it, surprising Harry with a piece of post that wasn’t a bill or a credit card offer. Louis had come home to find Harry sitting on their bed, tears streaming down his face onto the letter, clutching the piece of paper like a lifeline. Minutes later the letter was abandoned on the bed and the two men were holding each other like they hadn’t in months.

Louis had woken up the next morning to Harry running his fingers through Louis’s hair.

“I meant every word.” He had said, running his hand along Harry’s waist, smiling to himself at the bruise on Harry’s hip from the night before.

“I know you did, Lou. I’m not going anywhere.” Harry’s low, rumbly reply had been followed by breakfast in bed and an impromptu “sick day”.

Ever since, Louis had made sure Harry knew he loved him, just like he’d promised in his letter. It hadn’t been as hard as he thought. He knew Harry liked coming home to a clean house. He knew that occasionally, when he’d had a particularly hard day of studying, Harry liked the vegetarian pizza from the place two blocks away. He knew he liked snuggling in bed with a good book.

They were talking even more now than they had before. They texted constantly, checking in, seeing what the other was up to. Louis would ask how studying or classes or lectures were going, Harry would ask how Grease was or what funny antics his drama kids had been up to that day.

Louis found that it helped him best show Harry how much he loved him. Even if he was tired, or he had to stay late at practice for Grease, he could still leave dinner for Harry in the fridge (take out, obviously). He could make sure Harry’s favorite book was by his favorite chair. The simple things. The little things.

Louis was just putting the broom in the closet when he heard the door open and close. He walked into the hall in time to see Harry get stuck in his own coat, the strap of his bag wound around him. Louis giggled and took a few strides over to place his hands on his man’s cheeks and kiss him soundly on the lips.

“Are they fighting back, Haz?” He asked as he pulled back and looked fondly into Harry’s green eyes, smiling teasingly. Harry chuckled and sighed, grinning down at Louis.

“I guess so. I don’t know what I did.” He looked at him helplessly and Louis couldn’t help but feel a wave of affection for his boy.

“Your lack of grace is one of my favorite things about you, you know,” Louis said as he unwound the strap of the bag, freeing Harry to remove his coat without fuss. They hung his things on the hooks and Harry stashed his shoes by the door. He grasped Louis’s hand and dragged him into the living room.

“I’m glad you find my klutziness endearing.” He said, plopping down and pulling Louis into his lap. Louis went willingly and nuzzled Harry’s nose with his own.

“I do. I also think you smell incredible, and I’m very fond of your dimples.” He pressed his finger into Harry’s cheeks, exactly where the dimples always showed up. Harry laughed brightly and Louis felt the dimples appear around his finger. It made his chest fill with something that felt very akin to a bright light.

Harry wrapped his arms tighter around Louis’s waist and leaned back into the couch. Louis trailed his fingers down Harry’s neck and traced circles on the other man’s chest.

“How was your day?” Louis asked softly, even though he’d already heard all about through text message.

Harry sighed, and Louis thought he’d give anything to make Harry’s current workload easier. “My brain hurts. I’m so glad there’s a holiday weekend in a few weeks.” Louis hummed. “I was kind of thinking, actually…”

“I love it when you think, love, but are you sure you should be doing much _extra_ thinking right now?” Louis teased gently.

“When the thinking involves you, love, it’s a requirement to live, like water or air.” Harry teased back. “I was thinking it might be nice to get away together. Go camping or rent an Airbnb in the country or something, just get out of our usual routine. Sleep in a different bed, eat different food, walk different streets.”

Louis was now running his fingers through Harry’s hair. A trip sounded perfect. More than perfect. “I love it when you think, Haz. We can look at places tomorrow, yeah?”

Harry nodded, and grinned, letting his head rest against the back of the sofa. They stayed like that for several minutes, Harry resting, Louis sitting astride his lap tracing circles in the other man’s chest or running fingers through his hair.

The moon filtered in through their blinds, casting soft white light across the carpet of their living room. Louis could see a smile creeping in on Harry’s lips.

“What’re you thinking about, love?” Louis asked.

Harry opened his eyes and the smile filled his face. He shrugged. “I had a thought today, while I was in the library. You texted me something stupid that one of your kids did, and I laughed out loud and got shushed by the librarian. And I just thought in that moment… we can be enough. You’re all I really need. I don’t feel lost when I’m with you, even though sometimes when I’ve read a case too many times everything else seems jumbled.”

Louis smiled, taking Harry’s face in his hands and leaning forward to kiss him. It was a sweet kiss, simple and soft. “I’ll make this feel like home, Harry. I want this to feel like home.

“You _are_ home.”

Louis felt his chest expand with absolute bliss. Harry smiled and Louis was sure the stars outside weren’t nearly as beautiful as his boy.

 

June 2017

_\-- HL -- 18 --_

“I love you.”

“I know.”

“Hey, don’t go all Han Solo on me.”

“Why not?”

“Louis.”

“Haz.”

“You’re…”

“Yes?”

“I’m...”

“Yes.”

“Five years.”

“I know.”

“I didn’t even...”

“Long way from the playground, huh?”

“Seriously.”

“...”

“...”

“Love you more, Haz.”

“...”

“...”

“I know.”

 

 

June 2018

_\-- H -- If I Could Fly --_

“If I could fly, I’d come right back home to you, babe,” Louis said through the phone. “I’d apparate if I could, or run straight there if I was fast enough.” 

“I miss you,” Harry whimpered teasingly. Louis had been gone three days, taking his drama kids to a Shakespeare festival for the week. They’d been able to talk on the phone and text a bit, but the apartment felt too empty, too bleak without Louis’s bright laugh and constant energy. Harry missed spooning every night and had taken to sleeping on Louis’s side of the bed. “I’m missing half of me, babe.” He knew he was whining but he didn’t care. “Can you just come home now?” 

He was being dramatic, but Louis understood. It comforted him somehow, knowing they knew each other that well. “Two more days, love.” Louis’s voice was soothing but Harry could hear what sounded like two teenage boys getting in a fight in the background. Louis sighed. “I’m sorry, Haz, but Trevor and Jason are going at it again. I swear to god if they don’t work out their sexual tension I will stick them in a broom closet and tell them to practice stage kissing.”

Harry laughed out loud. “Somehow I’m not sure their parents would be big fans of that. A teacher encouraged make out?!”

“Screw their parents!” Louis whispered. “They’re my best two male leads. I need them to figure their shit out. Maybe the next play should be a gay romance...that’d sort them out so fast they’d get whiplash.” He chuckled. Harry could hear his rumbling laugh through the phone, and a few grunts and thuds in the background. It made him miss Louis even more.

“Go and help them sort themselves out, love. If anyone can, it’s you.”

“I love you, Haz.” _Thump_.

“I love you too. Call me tomorrow?”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the entire world and all of Doctor Who’s universe.” _Thump. Thwack. Smack._

Harry was sure he heard a shriek in the background, then a grunt, something that sounded like “Trevor, I can’t handle this anymore!” and then…

“Oh!” Louis said, sounding delighted. “I’ll be god damned. They’re kissing, Haz! I didn’t have to do anything!” He chuckled.

Harry laughed out loud again. “Aw, see love, they got it sorted all on their own!”

“Yeah!” Louis sounded excited but then he groaned. “Ugh...now I have to keep an eye on two sexually charged teenage boys who just realized they love each other. Did I pack condoms?”

“Yes, you did. I put them in with your razor.” Louis hadn’t actually packed anything himself. Harry had packed for him, while Louis sat on the bed and listed off all his favorite ways to render Harry a pile of goo. Louis had shown him a few of those ways once Harry was done packing Louis’s suitcase and it was shoved off the bed haphazardly, quickly forgotten.

“You’re the best teacher partner ever, Harry Styles. I’m the luckiest man in the world to have you.” Louis said appreciatively and Harry just knew from years of being Louis’s best friend and lover and boyfriend that Louis was suspiciously eyeing Trevor and Jason while thinking about his and Harry’s first time in the back of his head.

Those boys were in the best hands they could possibly be. It made Harry insanely proud and, not for the first time, marvel at the kind of father Louis would be.  

“Well, I’m the luckiest man in the world to have you. I didn’t realize how much I took for granted a clean kitchen every day when I get home.” Harry said fondly. Louis had hardly let him wipe down counters in a year. It only endeared Louis to him more.

“You know, I’m actually glad I started doing that… Lacey! If I hear you incorrectly recite Helena’s lines one more time, I’ll have you hand write them sixteen times…” Louis sighed. “Why did I decide to teach high schoolers?”

“Because you love children, you get to instill an appreciation for theater and old English literature in young people, and I think you’re super sexy when you’re surrounded by kids,” Harry said promptly, having said the exact same reason multiple times before.

Louis was silent for a moment. “My heart is for your eyes only, Harry Styles.” The teasing from a moment ago was gone and replaced with tender honesty. It took Harry’s breath away for the millionth time that Louis could go from joking to serious in a heartbeat.

“I’d give up everything for you,” Harry said in reply, the same earnest honesty in his voice.

“Have I asked you to marry me, yet?”

Harry paused. They’d talked about marriage of course, in vague “someday” terms. They knew they wanted kids together, wanted a house, wanted a life together. Normally Louis asked teasingly, or lightheartedly.

This time Louis asked with tenderness, gently and carefully.

“No,” Harry replied, grinning softly. “Not yet.”

“I’ll have to fix that then.” Harry felt his heart jump around his chest but Louis was distracted again. “Trevor, Jason! Oh god, Haz, I’m sorry, I have to go. Those boys just started sticking their hands up each other’s shirts. We’re in the hotel lobby, for Christ’s sake!”

Harry’s heart returned to its spot in his chest and he sighed. They’d talk about it. He knew they would, they always did.

It just made him miss Louis more.

“Go teach those boys about safe sex, Lou,” Harry said, chuckling. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

 

July 2018

_\-- L -- Fireproof --_

“I think I’m going to lose my mind.” Harry had his hands in his hair, pulling sharply at it, glaring at the words on the Scrabble board. “You can’t just say a word is used in normal conversation and call it a Scrabble-approved word!” He looked up at Louis so earnestly that Louis almost forgot to tease him back. “That’s why there’s a dictionary!”

“Haz, dictionaries change every year. ‘Facepalm’ was added to the dictionary last year!” Louis teased and pulled Harry’s hands away from his abused hair. They were sitting cross-legged on the floor, the summer sun pouring in through the windows of their apartment, a Scrabble board arrayed between them.

“How do you even know that?” Harry asked, pulling his hands away to shuffle his letters around.

“I have to be the Tomlinson-Styles household champion of Scrabble somehow!” Louis puffed out his chest.

Harry looked up at him, smirking. “Except that I’ve won the last five games, Lou. _I’m_ the Tomlinson-Styles household Scrabble champion.”

Louis pouted, but a smirk twinged the end of his lips. “I think I’m going to win this time.” His blue eyes glittered mischievously. He fingered the ring in his pocket and for the millionth time that day, his heart gave a leap. “I’ll change my luck.”

Harry cocked an eyebrow, still intent on rearranging his letters, tongue sticking out from between his teeth. “Oh yeah? How do you plan to do that?”

Louis shrugged and smiled cheekily, his eyes crinkling the way he knew Harry loved. Harry peeked up, rolled his eyes and grinned back.

“You’re lucky I love you.”

“I do love you, Haz.” He picked up his empty water glass and held it out to Harry. “Want to get the man you love a refill?” He smiled still cheekily, even though his heart was now pounding in his chest.  

Harry just smirked. “You’re insufferable.” He leaned over and gave Louis a peck on the lips. “And I love you.” He took the water glass. “Need anything else?”

“Do we have any chocolate?” Louis knew for a fact that they didn’t, but it would keep Harry in the kitchen a few extra moments, and Louis wanted all the time he could get.

“I’ll check and see.” Harry left the room with a smile. The minute he was out of sight, Louis pulled out a drawstring bag from under the coffee table, took a picture of their current board in case they wanted to get back to their game later, moved all their letters off, and began arranging new letters on the board. He worked quickly, double checked his spelling, then stood and paced for a minute, holding the ring in his hands, waiting for Harry’s footsteps signaling him coming back down the hall.

Harry smiled at him as he entered. “I didn’t find any chocolate.” 

“That’s alright,” Louis said, his heart pounding. “I changed the board a bit.”

Harry glanced at the board quickly. Louis watched hesitantly as Harry’s face went from horror to annoyance, to confusion, ending with a look up at Louis, his eyes wide, both glasses of water still clutched in his hands.

Spelled out on the Scrabble board were the words: “Marry me, Harry”.

“You might want to put the waters down, love.”

Harry swallowed and did so, not taking his eyes off Louis for an instant. He stood on the opposite side of the Scrabble board from Louis, his face a mixture of confusion, hope, and elation.

“Harry,” Louis started, “Nobody knows me the way you do. Nobody means as much to me as you do. I could spend my whole life talking about how important you are to me and it wouldn’t be enough time.” He had written this out and recited it over and over until he knew he had every word memorized. He had a typed version to give Harry later, but he wanted it to come from his own lips first.

“You’re everything to me, Harry. I love you more than I understand. I want the rest of my life to be by your side, pursuing all these dreams that we’ve talked about since we were kids.” He got down on one knee and held out the ring. Harry covered his mouth and Louis saw tears in his eyes.

“Harry, will you marry me?”

All of a sudden, Louis was on his back on the ground, the Scrabble board thrown aside, every inch of his face being kissed by Harry in between “Yes, yes, yes, I’ll marry you. _Lou_. Oh my god, yes!”. Louis laughed and kissed him back, tongues battling it out, lips nibbling, noses bumping up against each other. His arms wrapped around Harry’s waist pulling the taller man as close to him as possible. They finally paused for a moment and Harry looked down at Louis, eyes shining.

“Oh my god, you asked me to marry you.” Louis nodded and held up the ring again, still clutched in his hand. It was obsidian, and matte, and exactly what Harry had swooned over two months prior when they’d walked by a jewelry store. Harry took the ring and put it on his ring finger.

“So we’re getting married then?” Louis asked, grinning so widely he thought his face would break.

“Oh yeah, we’re definitely getting married.” Harry kissed him again, soundly, deeply. “Big wedding. Lots of cake. Even more champagne.” Another long kiss. “Honeymoon somewhere tropical so I get to see you shirtless for days straight.” A third kiss that caused butterflies to flutter around Louis’s stomach.

Their Scrabble game lay unfinished and forgotten for several hours.

 

June 2019

_\-- L -- Through the Dark --_

“My darling Harry. Five years ago I told you I was in love with you. It was the best day of my life, up until the day I asked you to marry me. The day I asked you to marry me was the best day of my life… until now. Today is the best day of my life because today I get to become your husband.

I promise to always make you smile. To hold you when you’re hurt and you’re in pain. I’ll be here for you, always. I’ll always try to make you laugh… even if you tell me I don’t have to try that hard. I promise I’ll let you watch all the cooking shows you want and I’ll keep cleaning the kitchen every day until I can’t.

We’ve been through hell and back together, and I wouldn’t trade any of it. Having you by my side is the most incredible experience I’ve ever been gifted with having and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I’ll always love you, every day until the last day of my life and then some. No matter what happens, we will find our way through the dark.”

 

October 2019

_\-- H -- Sweet Creature --_

Harry unlocked his front door at 3:45 am and stepped inside. He shut the door quietly, sure that Louis had waited up for him. He always did when Harry went away on a business trip. The work trips had started to get more frequent the past few months, but if anything it somehow made their marriage stronger. They talked as often as they could, Louis always waited up for Harry no matter what day of the week he came home, and Harry was always bringing Louis a little gift from wherever he went.

He slipped his shoes off, leaving his suitcase by the door and softly walked into the living room. Just as he suspected, Louis was sacked out on the couch, curled around a pillow, his head resting on the arm of the couch. Harry stood and watched him, just for a moment.

He loved watching Louis sleep. There were very few times he got to see his husband so calm or soft. He smiled to himself and walked around to the front of the couch, kneeling down in front of Louis' face. He reached out his fingers and traced small circles on Louis’s cheeks, waiting for him to stir.

“Haz?” Came Louis’s sleepy voice. The older man made grabby hands at Harry but kept his eyes closed. “I was staying up until you got..” He yawned. “Home.”

Harry chuckled. “You did great babe.” He ran his fingers through Louis’s hair. “Want to go to bed?”

Louis nodded and sleepily sat up, blinking his eyes open and grinning goofily when he saw Harry. “Hi.”

Harry smiled back. “Hi.” He leaned in for a kiss, a sleepy, lazy one. Harry hummed and they stood up, Louis rubbing his eyes with one hand and wrapping his other arm around Harry’s waist.

“Missed you,” Louis said as they started to the bedroom, nuzzling his face into Harry’s shoulder.

“Missed you too, Lou.” He gently helped Louis lay down on the bed, quickly rid himself of his own clothes and climbed into bed, curling around his husband.

“I like when you’re home,” Louis mumbled sleepily, wrapping Harry’s arms around him and slotting their fingers together. Harry was sure he’d never stop loving this man who had started out as his best friend and somehow became the most important person in the world to him.

“Wherever I go, Lou,” Harry whispered into his ear, “You bring me home.”

 

_Fin_

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr [here](https://iamasphodelknox.tumblr.com/) and share the Masterpost for the story [here](https://iamasphodelknox.tumblr.com/post/162064971924/title-moments-make-great-love-author) if you like it!
> 
> This fic was written as part of an ongoing challenge. We each select random numbers and are given a specific emotion from the book 1000 Feelings For Which There Are No Names. To read the other fics written in this challenge, click [here](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/ShortFic_Challenge_For_Which_There_Is_No_Name/works), or you can find the masterpost on tumblr [here](http://lululawrence.tumblr.com/post/159679804243/1000-feelings-for-which-there-are-no-names-prompt).


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